Wisin Offers Aleks Syntek a Scholarship to the Universidad del Perreo

Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Wisin has offered Mexican singer Aleks Syntek a tongue-in-cheek “full scholarship” to the Universidad del Perreo, turning a recent dispute over reggaeton into an invitation to engage with the genre.

The offer was announced on September 22 through the social-media channels of the Universidad del Perreo, a project created by Wisin around the history and culture of reggaeton. The announcement came after Syntek renewed his criticism of the genre during a September 15 performance in Mexico City.

According to the published announcement, Syntek was selected for the scholarship following what the project jokingly described as a “rigorous evaluation” of his career. The package includes tuition, access to the project’s courses and a reserved front-row place at its semester masterclass.

The proposed classes include Perreo Intenso I, II and III, Laboratorio de Flow y Ritmo and access to a library dedicated to bass and 808s.

The language of the announcement makes clear that the scholarship is part of the project’s playful presentation rather than a conventional academic award. The Universidad del Perreo itself is a creative initiative associated with Wisin and his wider work celebrating reggaeton’s development and cultural history.

The timing of the invitation is significant. During his September 15 performance for Mexico’s Independence celebrations, Syntek questioned the prominence of reggaeton and cited traditional Mexican forms including mariachi, bolero and huapango.

“México es huapango, México es bolero, México es mariachi,” Syntek said during the performance, according to Mexican media reports. He also referred to Dani Flow and his song “Martillazo en el ano” while making his broader argument about contemporary music.

Syntek’s comments revived a debate that has followed him for years. The singer has previously criticised aspects of reggaeton’s lyrics and production, although he has also said that he is not opposed to any particular musical genre and supports freedom of musical choice.

In the aftermath of the latest controversy, Syntek addressed the criticism in a social-media livestream and said he respected reggaeton artists despite not listening to their music. He also proposed the possibility of collaborating with an artist from the genre, either by bringing a pop influence to a collaboration or working on another artist’s record.

Dani Flow, whose music was mentioned during Syntek’s performance, subsequently said he would be open to collaborating with the Mexican singer.

Wisin’s response takes a different approach. Rather than entering into a direct argument about musical taste, the Universidad del Perreo announcement uses humour to position reggaeton as a culture with its own history, vocabulary and creative traditions.

The project has been presented as an effort to preserve and examine the development of reggaeton and urban music. It is linked to Wisin’s broader artistic work and uses the language of education — including courses, scholarships and masterclasses — as part of its concept.

For Syntek, the invitation comes after another public confrontation with a genre he has questioned throughout his career. For Wisin, it offers a way to answer those criticisms without turning the exchange into another argument over whether one style of music deserves greater cultural recognition.

As of September 22, reporting on the scholarship had not included a public acceptance from Syntek. The invitation therefore remains a humorous gesture from Wisin’s Universidad del Perreo rather than a confirmed collaboration or academic enrolment.